Our studies of the ubiquitin-protein ligase E3, called gp78, is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Allan Weissman, CCR. The gp78 protein has a role in sarcoma metastasis, and it is an excellent target for a combined structural and molecular biological investigation of mechanism and intervention. These studies are underway and involve both investigations of individual domains of gp78 as well as interactions with other critical components, ubiquitin and the mammalian E2 associated with this protein. New results are emerging from these studies and will be reported on in the coming year.